


Joy

by TheSecondQueenOfSol



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-17 15:27:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15464436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSecondQueenOfSol/pseuds/TheSecondQueenOfSol
Summary: What if Hecate's name... wasn't Hecate?A different kind of 5 times fic.





	Joy

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this post](http://foxx-queen.tumblr.com/post/176350304013/the-idea-that-hecates-real-name-is-joy-and-she) from @foxx-queen. I just really loved the thought, and wanted to give HB a different backstory to the angsty ones I usually headcanon.
> 
> It's brief, but I hope you enjoy!

**_Pippa_ **

“Gregory Goldenhorn?”

“Present.”

“Winston Hammersmith?”

“Present.”

“Joy Hardbroom?”

The willowy girl who had reluctantly sat beside Pippa raised her hand tentatively.

“Actually, it’s Hecate. Hecate Hardbroom.”

“That’s not what I’ve got printed on this parchment, Miss Hardbroom.”

“Then I’m afraid you’ve been given the incorrect information.”

Pippa blinked. Brave girl. Only first year and already biting back at Miss Blackrock.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, Miss Blackrock.”

“Then I suggest you speak with the Headmistress before coming to me after the fact of your enrolment.”

“I will, Miss Blackrock.”

“Come back when you have it in writing.”

Mrs Blackrock turned back to her role and kept moving down the list as Pippa leaned over slightly to Joy, no… Hecate… Hecate Hardbroom.

“Headmistress Fernwood is my aunt. I can come with you, if you want?”

The girl almost gave her a kind of lopsided smile, but she seemed to bite it back and swallow it down, just giving Pippa a soft nod.

“I would appreciate that.”

 

 

**_Ada_ **

Ada burst through the door waving a crisp piece of parchment with such vigour Hecate jumped and dropped her ladle into the cauldron.

“You’re name is Joy?!”

The ladle sunk to the bottom with a soft clank.

Hecate froze, eyes wide but refusing to meet her new Headmistress’ stare. She turned very slowly and her eyes fixed onto the parchment in question.

“What is that?”

“Your application to the Magic Council. You’re teaching licence has been approved. But your name is Joy! Joy H. Hardbroom! It says it right here!”

“It is not a matter I generally make public.”

“Well then. As you wish… Joy.”

“Please, do not call me that,” Hecate met her eyes, pleading.

“Okay, okay. It’s out of my system. But, really, it’s such a lovely name.”

“It is a dishonest name, and offers false hope to those who hear it.”

“Oh, I’ll break down those walls, Hecate,” Ada just smiled, dropping the letter onto her desk and breezing back toward the door. “I have a feeling it might be a little more apt than you’re letting on.”

 

**_Gwen_ **

When Miss Bat had been sent to greet their unexpected guests, this was not what she’d expected. In fact, she briefly wondered whether she’d had an recreational potions lately, and these were the unforeseen side effects.

Mr Hardbroom was a very short, very round man in robes of unseemly orange and glasses so thick they might have been portholes.

“Hermes Hardbroom, very pleased to meet you! And this is my wife, Celeste.”

Celeste Hardbroom was very tall and very willowy, with hair of platinum blonde and a smile brighter than a midday sun.

“An absolute pleasure!” Celeste shook her hand vigorously. “Joy has told us so much about you.”

“I’m sorry, Joy who?” Miss Bat blinked, very much playing catch up with this turn of events. Where was all the black? Why were these people smiling? Why hadn’t they threatened to curse her yet?

“Oh I did it again!” Celeste’s hands flew to her mouth. “Silly me, I meant to say Hecate.”

“Hecate… Hardbroom?” Miss Bat blinked. “I’m sorry but what did you just call her?”

“No, no!” Hermes brushed her questions aside. “Just a force of habit, won’t happen again. Her name is Hecate, plain and simple.”

“Did you say… Joy?”

“Is she, that is, Hecate… is she in?”

“Joy… Joy…”

Miss Bat couldn’t quiet move past the roadblock in her brain, running up again and again against the bricks labelled JOY.

 

**_Dimity_ **

“Dimity,” Miss Bat hissed. “Dimity!”

“Gwen, what in the…”

“Shhh!”

Miss Bat pulled her around the corner with rather unexpected strength and wrapped a hand around her mouth.

“Shhh… there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What, Gwen? If this is about those goblins we don’t have living in the dungeon…”

“No, no! Not them. It’s Hecate. You wouldn’t believe…”

“What won’t I believe, Gwen?” Dimity’s day had been very long, and her patience was running very short.

“Her name isn’t Hecate!”

“I’m sure she… wait, what?”

“I mean it is but it isn’t!”

“You’re not making a lot of sense…”

“Her name! Her name is Joy! Joy Hardbroom!”

“Hecate… is actually called… Joy?”

“Yes! And her parents are here! And they’re very bright and friendly and not at all like we thought.”

Miss Bat spun on her heals and rushed off down the corridor, leaving Dimity blinking, utterly lost.

“…what…?”

 

**_Mildred_ **

“If you fail to master the basics, you will never pass your exams, and you will certainly never become a proper witch.”

Millie shrunk into her seat, trying not to cave under Miss Hardbroom’s gaze.

“To that end, I have decided to lay these foundations myself.” HB summoned a bound leather book and dropped it on the desk in front of Millie.

“This is the very first book a witch receives. It has the simplest spells, and the most basic of magical principles laid bare for the most unintelligent of children. Read it. There will be a test after tomorrow’s class.”

HB turned back to her desk and began stacking papers with a wave of her hand.

Millie pulled the book toward her and flipped it open. The title page read _The Spark: My First Spell Book_ , and below in spindly, uncertain penmanship, someone had written their name.

“Who is ‘Joy Hardbroom’?”

Miss Hardbroom froze and spun back around, eyes very wide, mouth very stiff.

“She’s written her name in the cover,” Millie explained, holding up the book to show her.

“Joy… is my cousin. A foolish girl. No more questions.”

With a twist of her fingers she was gone.

Millie shrugged. She couldn’t imagine Miss Hardbroom’s family, let alone her cousin named Joy. She must be pretty different from HB, if her parents gave her a name like that, and especially if she’d chosen to keep it.


End file.
